Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-16
MILLS SPEAKS.
His Opinion OF the Be nefiis and Probability
of Tariff Reduction,

His Opinion OF tho BE nefits and Probability
of Tariff Reduction,
NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-THE Worlds
Washington correspondent has had an in
terview with Representative Mills of
Texas, who will probably be chairman of
the committee Of ways and means. He
is quoted as saying; 81 heartily agree
with President CIeveland's tariff ideas as
put forth in his message. While an al
valorem tariff is the only fair and wise
| measure, still I will vote for specific
tariff If Dy that means can get bill
passed reducing taxes"
"Do you think the bill will be passed
by Congress reducing the tariff"
eff Congress does it's duty, 1t will pass
some measure to lower duties and reye-
nues."
"Do you think there will be much
difference Of opinion about the bill 2"
swell, there are many interests that
imagine they will be hurt by low du'ies
| and helped by high ones, and of course
they will be heard from; but hope we
| may be able to harmonic these COL fiict-
ing opinions and pass bill making sub
stantial reductions"
"Wil the bill, do you think, pass the
Senate 2"
81 cannot tell about that. I am in
| clined to think some bill will pass the
Senate. It may not be what we may
wasn't and we may quarrel some over it in
q legislative way and then agree on some
thing. Constituted as the two houses
are now, 1t Is hard to predict what phase
the bill will wear when it gets through,
il it should succeed at ALL"
"Do you think that the tariff will be
! the issue in the campaign of '8S ?''
"Tlere is no doubt of it, and am glad
that we have the battle pitched on it,.
We can win the fight il we do not get
| frightened and fly the field"
500 you think any measure affecting
the tariff that may be passed by this Con-
gress will make itself felt in the country
at large in time to have any effect on the
campaign Of 1882"
"If the ts:lff is lowered considerably
and should be passed by April l to take
effect June 80, the price of our exports
| Will go up before the bill takes effect, and
before November the improved condition
of agriculture, manufactures and COM
MERGE will be very perceptible."
"Would you repeal the internal tax on
tobacce?"
"No. would not il could psss q bill
| by myself; but cannot, and I shall have
to get the best 1 can and be content with
| what the President has laid down N his
message. The true principle is to tax
luXuries high and the necessaries Of life
low, if taxed at Gil. People can do with
out tobacco better than they can shirts
and shoes"
"Republicans say Democrats are in
favor of free trade and mean to do away
with customs"
"That is all silly. We speak OF free
trade as we do of free men, yet free n en-
have to be taxed to support the govern
| ment, and 80 does trade. When we say
free men We mean men who refuse to
wear unnecessary burdens, and when we
speak of free trade We mean trade stripped
OF unnecessary burdens. We have had
custom houses and tariffs from the begin
ming and will have them to the end"
Mr.. Mills expressed confidence that the
tariff measure would pass the House with
ont much debate and that it would be
presented to the Senate at an early day.